Savage b22 precision(chassis)
- Thread starter Vulture23
- Start date
If your goal is to compete and continue growing / being more competitive, then I would say the Tikka T1X has more open channels for improvements - MDT chassis and KRG Bravo are really big upgrades depending on how customized you want things to be and feel.
I don't know how well that Savage will shoot, but looking at the reviews of the A22, those shot pretty craptastic. Depending on the street price, it'd seem the Ruger RPRim would be a better buy than the Savage B22 too.
Greetings,
I’ve been a long time member and lurker. I don’t post often and most of my posts have been questions related to rifle set up, equipment, or “dibs” on the SH PX. I am an average shooter with experience mostly with AR platforms and handguns but new to the 22 LR Precision world.
My search of the SH, YouTube, and WWW did not show many reviews of the Savage B22 Precision. Below is my 5+ months experience with the rifle. The purpose of the build was to compete in the NRL 22 base category and to have a trainer for my Savage 308 in a MDT LSS XL gen2 chassis. The scope has changed many times but most of the testing was done with the Arken SH4.
I purchased all of the items myself, with zero factory discounts. I have no financial or business disclosures to make with any of the companies.
Set up:
Savage B22 Precision with factory MDT chassis ($599 MSRP)
Arken SH4 4-14x 50 ($399 MSRP)
Vortex 30mm rings, low
EGW 20 MOA base
MDT stock spacer
Harris bipod
Ammo tested:
CCI SV
Federal Gold Medal Match SV
Fiocchi SV
SK Flatnose Match
Aguilla Rifle Match SV
Lapua Biathlon
The B22 Precision Rifle is solidly built with a very comfortable and adjustable stock. The length of pull was a bit short, so I ordered spacers from MDT and the fit now mirrors my center fire rifle. The finish is matte black in what appears to be a nitrided finish that has been durable and pleasing to the eye. One issue with the adjustable plastic knobs for the cheek riser: not much force is need to lock down the riser, if you gorilla it, the knob‘s internal plastic gearing will strip off and expose the brass Allen head that is designed for more permanent cheek height setting. A small dab of Gorilla glue (pun intended) and gentle but firm tightening fixed the issues.
The bolt is smooth and does not bind when pushed forward on a slightly off axis. Bolt closure is tight with zero wiggle after closure. There is no appreciable bolt lift when cycling the action. The 2 position tange mounted safety is easy to operate and ergonomic. IMHO, the bolt is smoother and is easier to cycle faster than the CZ 457 Pro Varmint. The bolt knob is of the “tactical” variety and I think that it is permanently attached to the bolt handle. It is very ergonomic and compliments the lines and purpose of the rifle well. When re-installing the bolt, a marking on the back half of the bolt and the extractor must line up PERFECTLY. It took a few tries to get it right, and it may frustrate some newer shooter, especially young-ones starting out.
The magazines are 10 round rotary type with the release lever incorporated at the front of the magazine body. This makes unloading a breeze, but durability may be a issue after many elastic cycles of the plastic latch and drops onto concrete surfaces. Luckily, the magazines are cheap and abundant and is the same magazine in the Savage A22 and other B22 line.
I think that a 20 - 30 MOA scope base, similar to the one found on the Ruger RPRR, would be very beneficial to the intended customer for this type of rifle, but the EGW 20 MOA scope base was easy to source. True to Savage reputation, the scope base screws were loose when I removed them to install the 20 MOA base. While installing the new base, I noticed that the 2nd screw (screw 1 being the screw closest to the muzzle) was tighter and grittier and was harder to fully seat. It threaded easily for the first 1/2 and was not cross threaded. My guess is that there may be some metal shavings or uneven surfaces at the base of the hole. However, it did not bind or interfere with the bolt action.
Range time:
I fired over 2000 rounds of various ammo. My usual procedure was to run a boresnake through the rifle 2 times between different ammo testing. My apologies in advance for the relatively poor selection of mid to low grade ammo but this is what I could find during the current ammo shortage. I shot 20 rounds to foul the barrel, then 2 groups of 5 at 25 yards, 2 groups of 5 at 50 yards and finally 2 groups of 5 at 100 yards.
Please excuse my average shooting skills. Attached are a few hand picked representative groups. The best ammo in my testing was the CCI SV with 1/4”-3/8” at 25 yards, 1/2”-5/8”at 50 yards, and 1 1/2” -1 3/4”at 100 yards. Rim thickness sorting seemed to help with the CCI by reducing the flyers. When I loaded 3 magazines with different rim thicknesses and the RSO handed me the magazines in random fashion, the best group with the smallest rim thickness measured 0.09” for a 5 shot group at 25 yards.
Shots out to 50 yards were average at best, again CCI SV shooting the best in my limited sample lot. Overall, the group would be ˜3/8”+ 1 flyer that resulted in ”meh” groups of 1/2”- 5/8” at 50 yards.
When stretched to 100 yards, the accuracy just was not there. CCI SV, SK Flatnose Match, and Lapua Biathlon fared best at around 1 1/2” with occasional 2+” groups. I assessed that this would not be competitive in NRL 22 matches, especially if there are bonus stages with extended ranges past 150 yards. I was uncertain if this was the limitations of my skills, ammo, or if there was something else going on.
Searching YouTube, I saw a review by Affordable Optics and Rifle that showed some scoring/scratches on the drive bands of the 22 LR bullet when cycling the bolt from the B22 rotary magazine. Basically, the bottom protrusion of the bolt (6 o clock) that feeds the cartridge into the chamber scores/scratches the ”on deck” cartridge. The first round is not affected but all subsequent ones are deformed. Additionally, the lead and wax scrapings formed a wadded ball that lands at the 6 o clock position of the chamber. When the ball gets large enough and gets pushed into the chamber during bolt cycling, extraction failures occurred.
I called Savage Customer Service and they said that they would take a look. I shipped the rifle back on my own dime and they had it for 3 1/2 months to address the issue. At first, they said that the chamber was too tight, but I informed them that I thought that it was the lead/wax scraping that gummed up the chamber after ˜30 or so rounds. A few weeks later, they said that the magazine seating was out of spec and that they would adjust it. Furthermore, they were replacing the barrel. The barrel replacement took 2.5 months because the barrels are supplied from Canada. When they test fired the rifle, I guess it didn’t meet their precision requirements so when I called them back at the 3 month mark, they informed me that they were shipping out a brand new rifle. Well, the new rifle came and it still produces the same scratches. In the close up photo, the left 5 are cartridges cycled on a CZ 457 Pro Varmint with barely a smudge if you look very closely and the right 5 are the ones cycled on the Savage B22 Precision.
Conclusion:
The Savage B22 Precision is a very ergonomic, smooth running, and fun 22 LR at < 50 yards. If shooting 50 yards and in, it will be a great trainer for kids as it can be easily adjusted for size. Additionally, it is very solid and quiet with almost zero recoil. For longer ranges, further testing is needed with better quality ammo, but I suspect that the significant damage to the driving bands of the 22 LR bullet will have detrimental effects on accuracy and precision as distance increases. In the near future, I will get better ammo, continue testing, and post updates.
Epilogue:
I purchased a CZ 457 Pro Varmint 16.5” end of August 2020. Even though the Boyd’s stock isn’t anything like the MDT chassis that is on my 308, the accuracy of the CZ (as shown in the included 5 shot group proof), fully adjustable trigger, and upgrade pathway for customization were a better fit for my purposes. Plus, the $588 MSRP will give me wiggle room for the Athlon Argos gen2 6-24x 50 when competing in NRL 22 base.
I asked the CFO of the house if I should keep or sell the new in box Savage B22 Precision and she said if I want to use it to teach the kids and if we can go shooting together, we should hold on to it. Yeah, the wife’s a keeper.
YMMV, happy shooting.
I’ve been a long time member and lurker. I don’t post often and most of my posts have been questions related to rifle set up, equipment, or “dibs” on the SH PX. I am an average shooter with experience mostly with AR platforms and handguns but new to the 22 LR Precision world.
My search of the SH, YouTube, and WWW did not show many reviews of the Savage B22 Precision. Below is my 5+ months experience with the rifle. The purpose of the build was to compete in the NRL 22 base category and to have a trainer for my Savage 308 in a MDT LSS XL gen2 chassis. The scope has changed many times but most of the testing was done with the Arken SH4.
I purchased all of the items myself, with zero factory discounts. I have no financial or business disclosures to make with any of the companies.
Set up:
Savage B22 Precision with factory MDT chassis ($599 MSRP)
Arken SH4 4-14x 50 ($399 MSRP)
Vortex 30mm rings, low
EGW 20 MOA base
MDT stock spacer
Harris bipod
Ammo tested:
CCI SV
Federal Gold Medal Match SV
Fiocchi SV
SK Flatnose Match
Aguilla Rifle Match SV
Lapua Biathlon
The B22 Precision Rifle is solidly built with a very comfortable and adjustable stock. The length of pull was a bit short, so I ordered spacers from MDT and the fit now mirrors my center fire rifle. The finish is matte black in what appears to be a nitrided finish that has been durable and pleasing to the eye. One issue with the adjustable plastic knobs for the cheek riser: not much force is need to lock down the riser, if you gorilla it, the knob‘s internal plastic gearing will strip off and expose the brass Allen head that is designed for more permanent cheek height setting. A small dab of Gorilla glue (pun intended) and gentle but firm tightening fixed the issues.
The bolt is smooth and does not bind when pushed forward on a slightly off axis. Bolt closure is tight with zero wiggle after closure. There is no appreciable bolt lift when cycling the action. The 2 position tange mounted safety is easy to operate and ergonomic. IMHO, the bolt is smoother and is easier to cycle faster than the CZ 457 Pro Varmint. The bolt knob is of the “tactical” variety and I think that it is permanently attached to the bolt handle. It is very ergonomic and compliments the lines and purpose of the rifle well. When re-installing the bolt, a marking on the back half of the bolt and the extractor must line up PERFECTLY. It took a few tries to get it right, and it may frustrate some newer shooter, especially young-ones starting out.
The magazines are 10 round rotary type with the release lever incorporated at the front of the magazine body. This makes unloading a breeze, but durability may be a issue after many elastic cycles of the plastic latch and drops onto concrete surfaces. Luckily, the magazines are cheap and abundant and is the same magazine in the Savage A22 and other B22 line.
I think that a 20 - 30 MOA scope base, similar to the one found on the Ruger RPRR, would be very beneficial to the intended customer for this type of rifle, but the EGW 20 MOA scope base was easy to source. True to Savage reputation, the scope base screws were loose when I removed them to install the 20 MOA base. While installing the new base, I noticed that the 2nd screw (screw 1 being the screw closest to the muzzle) was tighter and grittier and was harder to fully seat. It threaded easily for the first 1/2 and was not cross threaded. My guess is that there may be some metal shavings or uneven surfaces at the base of the hole. However, it did not bind or interfere with the bolt action.
Range time:
I fired over 2000 rounds of various ammo. My usual procedure was to run a boresnake through the rifle 2 times between different ammo testing. My apologies in advance for the relatively poor selection of mid to low grade ammo but this is what I could find during the current ammo shortage. I shot 20 rounds to foul the barrel, then 2 groups of 5 at 25 yards, 2 groups of 5 at 50 yards and finally 2 groups of 5 at 100 yards.
Please excuse my average shooting skills. Attached are a few hand picked representative groups. The best ammo in my testing was the CCI SV with 1/4”-3/8” at 25 yards, 1/2”-5/8”at 50 yards, and 1 1/2” -1 3/4”at 100 yards. Rim thickness sorting seemed to help with the CCI by reducing the flyers. When I loaded 3 magazines with different rim thicknesses and the RSO handed me the magazines in random fashion, the best group with the smallest rim thickness measured 0.09” for a 5 shot group at 25 yards.
Shots out to 50 yards were average at best, again CCI SV shooting the best in my limited sample lot. Overall, the group would be ˜3/8”+ 1 flyer that resulted in ”meh” groups of 1/2”- 5/8” at 50 yards.
When stretched to 100 yards, the accuracy just was not there. CCI SV, SK Flatnose Match, and Lapua Biathlon fared best at around 1 1/2” with occasional 2+” groups. I assessed that this would not be competitive in NRL 22 matches, especially if there are bonus stages with extended ranges past 150 yards. I was uncertain if this was the limitations of my skills, ammo, or if there was something else going on.
Searching YouTube, I saw a review by Affordable Optics and Rifle that showed some scoring/scratches on the drive bands of the 22 LR bullet when cycling the bolt from the B22 rotary magazine. Basically, the bottom protrusion of the bolt (6 o clock) that feeds the cartridge into the chamber scores/scratches the ”on deck” cartridge. The first round is not affected but all subsequent ones are deformed. Additionally, the lead and wax scrapings formed a wadded ball that lands at the 6 o clock position of the chamber. When the ball gets large enough and gets pushed into the chamber during bolt cycling, extraction failures occurred.
I called Savage Customer Service and they said that they would take a look. I shipped the rifle back on my own dime and they had it for 3 1/2 months to address the issue. At first, they said that the chamber was too tight, but I informed them that I thought that it was the lead/wax scraping that gummed up the chamber after ˜30 or so rounds. A few weeks later, they said that the magazine seating was out of spec and that they would adjust it. Furthermore, they were replacing the barrel. The barrel replacement took 2.5 months because the barrels are supplied from Canada. When they test fired the rifle, I guess it didn’t meet their precision requirements so when I called them back at the 3 month mark, they informed me that they were shipping out a brand new rifle. Well, the new rifle came and it still produces the same scratches. In the close up photo, the left 5 are cartridges cycled on a CZ 457 Pro Varmint with barely a smudge if you look very closely and the right 5 are the ones cycled on the Savage B22 Precision.
Conclusion:
The Savage B22 Precision is a very ergonomic, smooth running, and fun 22 LR at < 50 yards. If shooting 50 yards and in, it will be a great trainer for kids as it can be easily adjusted for size. Additionally, it is very solid and quiet with almost zero recoil. For longer ranges, further testing is needed with better quality ammo, but I suspect that the significant damage to the driving bands of the 22 LR bullet will have detrimental effects on accuracy and precision as distance increases. In the near future, I will get better ammo, continue testing, and post updates.
Epilogue:
I purchased a CZ 457 Pro Varmint 16.5” end of August 2020. Even though the Boyd’s stock isn’t anything like the MDT chassis that is on my 308, the accuracy of the CZ (as shown in the included 5 shot group proof), fully adjustable trigger, and upgrade pathway for customization were a better fit for my purposes. Plus, the $588 MSRP will give me wiggle room for the Athlon Argos gen2 6-24x 50 when competing in NRL 22 base.
I asked the CFO of the house if I should keep or sell the new in box Savage B22 Precision and she said if I want to use it to teach the kids and if we can go shooting together, we should hold on to it. Yeah, the wife’s a keeper.
YMMV, happy shooting.
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Thanks melglass.
Great comments/suggestions. I have tried single loading, but when I did that, I’d break my cheek weld since dropping the round in the open action did not reliably feed the cartridge. As a result, the shots groups fared worse.
The bolt bottom had a right angle corner that I lightly stoned/polished. The scratches might have been slightly lighter, but still quite prominent.
I hope to test the B22 Precision and 457 PV side to side with the same ammo on the same day In the near future.
YMMV, happy shooting.
Great comments/suggestions. I have tried single loading, but when I did that, I’d break my cheek weld since dropping the round in the open action did not reliably feed the cartridge. As a result, the shots groups fared worse.
The bolt bottom had a right angle corner that I lightly stoned/polished. The scratches might have been slightly lighter, but still quite prominent.
I hope to test the B22 Precision and 457 PV side to side with the same ammo on the same day In the near future.
YMMV, happy shooting.
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Ten boxes of mid to higher grade ammo arrived today.
Each box has been sorted for rim thickness.
My plan is to shoot 10 rounds to foul the barrel, 2 groups of 5 at 25 yards, 3 groups of 5 at 50 yards and 3 groups of 5 at 100 yards. If I can borrow a friend’s Magnetospeed, I plan to get velocity, SD and ES from each box.
The course of fire will be repeated by alternating between the Savage B22 Precision and the CZ 457 Pro Varmint starting with Eley Target, Eley Club, RWS Match, SK standard plus and Lapua Cener-X.
Few observations while sorting by rim thickness:
1. Eley cartridges had the waxiest and most dense coating, the RWS was slightly less dense, the SK/Lapua felt greasy, more like liquid.
2. The lead bullets and drive bands in these mid/higher tier 22 LR ammo are much more uniform than the CCI, Aguilla and Fiocchi Cartridges. The uniformity and lack of dents and scratches were similar to the Federal Gold Medal Ultramatch.
3. Relative to other brands sorted today, Eley ammo had the thinnest rims, next the RWS and the SK/Lapua had the thickest rims.
4. Eley ammo had the least amount of “crimp” (if you call it that) on the brass. The bullets could be turned ˜10 degrees. RWS barely wiggled. SK/Lapua didn’t budge.
5. RWS ammo had the lightest colored bullets (almost silver), Eley bullets were darker (gunmetal gray), SK/Lapua bullets were dark (similar to Space Gray in Apple parlance). I wonder if there is a difference in hardness between the brands.
We’ll see how well they perform out of the Savage and CZ as a side to side comparison this week.
YMMV, happy shooting.
Each box has been sorted for rim thickness.
My plan is to shoot 10 rounds to foul the barrel, 2 groups of 5 at 25 yards, 3 groups of 5 at 50 yards and 3 groups of 5 at 100 yards. If I can borrow a friend’s Magnetospeed, I plan to get velocity, SD and ES from each box.
The course of fire will be repeated by alternating between the Savage B22 Precision and the CZ 457 Pro Varmint starting with Eley Target, Eley Club, RWS Match, SK standard plus and Lapua Cener-X.
Few observations while sorting by rim thickness:
1. Eley cartridges had the waxiest and most dense coating, the RWS was slightly less dense, the SK/Lapua felt greasy, more like liquid.
2. The lead bullets and drive bands in these mid/higher tier 22 LR ammo are much more uniform than the CCI, Aguilla and Fiocchi Cartridges. The uniformity and lack of dents and scratches were similar to the Federal Gold Medal Ultramatch.
3. Relative to other brands sorted today, Eley ammo had the thinnest rims, next the RWS and the SK/Lapua had the thickest rims.
4. Eley ammo had the least amount of “crimp” (if you call it that) on the brass. The bullets could be turned ˜10 degrees. RWS barely wiggled. SK/Lapua didn’t budge.
5. RWS ammo had the lightest colored bullets (almost silver), Eley bullets were darker (gunmetal gray), SK/Lapua bullets were dark (similar to Space Gray in Apple parlance). I wonder if there is a difference in hardness between the brands.
We’ll see how well they perform out of the Savage and CZ as a side to side comparison this week.
YMMV, happy shooting.
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Sorted ammo with close up shot of the bullets.
I’ll also add Lapua Biathlon and SK flatnose match to the test.
I’ll also add Lapua Biathlon and SK flatnose match to the test.
Awesome write-up thank you!! I am interested in your findings as well. I picked up a B22 Precision this summer and am soaking up all the B22 knowledge I can find. The kids and I love it! I only have a Vortex Crossfire II 2x7 on it right now but looking for something $449 MSRP or under to make the NRL22 Base cost requirements. Thankfully this one does not seem to have the scoring issue that you mentioned though as you mentioned the bolt is tricky to get aligned. Mine likes CCI-SV and Aguila Super Extra Standard Velocity (Yellow and blue box that also says Eley Prime). Best I can get with the 2x7 and being a "Noob" is 1 - 1.25" at 50 yards though my 16 yr old daughter can knock out 0.5" at 50 yards all day long. Have not seen a duplicate to mine yet, it has a matte blue MDT chassis not the standard matte black.
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Wow, beautiful color. I’ve not seen it in that color.
the scoring issue with the bullets are more noticeable on lead bullets. The copper plated ones seem to scratch a lot less.
the Athlon Argos BTR gen2 6-24 x50 are $449 MSRP and it has the features that I think are essential for NRL22.
A good video by WOMFAT on choosing an NRL22 scope:
YMMV, happy shooting.
The Blue stock came from "Sportsmans Warehouse" in Michigan, wondering if it is a custom color for them. Good to know though I have not yet shot copper plated rounds yet, everything has been lead and black lead.
Thank you for the scope recommendation I have seen lots of great reviews about the Argos BTR... I need to get the home CFO approval but meets the needs! Thanks again!
Range update 10/2/2020
Cool, breezy but sunny day in NW Florida, winds 3-4 MPH early, then 10-12 MPH later on.
Rifle: Savage B22 Precision vs CZ 457 Pro Varmint
Ammo: SK Flatnose Match (FNM) and SK Standard Plus (Std+)
Range: 50 yards and 100 yards, 5 shot groups all from the prone with a bipod and a rear bag
30 rounds chronograph data with Magnetospeed Sport on the Std+ (Sorry, forgot to put it on for the FNM)
CZ - avg 1083, hi 1101, lo 1060, SD 8, ES 41
B22 - avg 1036, hi 1058, lo 1014, SD 11, ES 44
50 yard 5 shot group results:
CZ with SK FNM - avg .546 / best .354
CZ with SK Std+ - avg .520 / best .355
B22 with SK FNM - avg .922 / best .700
B22 with SK Std+ - avg 1.02 / best .746
100 yard 5 shot group results:
CZ with SK FNM - avg 1.44 (without 1st group .896) / best .668
CZ with SK Std+ - avg 1.60 (without 1st group 1.27) / best .855
B22 with SK FNM - avg 3.03 / best 1.46 (stopped after seeing that it does not group)
B22 with SK Std+ - one 5 shot group 1.96 (stopped after seeing that it does not group)
Conclusions:
1. Beautiful day at the range. Autumn is here.
2. CZ shoots very well with the SK Ammo. It shot the SK FNM and Std+ about the same at 50 yards, but the FNM shot slightly better than the SK Std+ at 100 yards. (Could be due to increased winds later on in the range session)
3. CZ with the SK FNM shot reasonably well even with relatively high winds at 100 yards. It may be the flattened nose design similar to the Eleys, it may have been winds or fatigue (I shot the SK Std+ during the last 1/2 of the session)
4. Savage B22 at 50 yards with the SK ammo tested is not competitive. Even the best 5 shot groups were larger than the CZ’s average group size for 6x5.
5. Savage B22 completely falls apart at 100 yards. Although I have more testing to complete with other ammo, my hypothesis that the scored/scarred bullet driving bands introduces inaccuracies into the shot groups that worsens as the distance increase.
6. The adage of “double the distance, triple the group size” appears to hold true for the CZ (.540 at 50 yards to 1.44 at 100 yards) and the B22 (.922 at 50 yards to 3.03 at 100 yards).
YMMV, happy shooting, and more testing soon.
Cool, breezy but sunny day in NW Florida, winds 3-4 MPH early, then 10-12 MPH later on.
Rifle: Savage B22 Precision vs CZ 457 Pro Varmint
Ammo: SK Flatnose Match (FNM) and SK Standard Plus (Std+)
Range: 50 yards and 100 yards, 5 shot groups all from the prone with a bipod and a rear bag
30 rounds chronograph data with Magnetospeed Sport on the Std+ (Sorry, forgot to put it on for the FNM)
CZ - avg 1083, hi 1101, lo 1060, SD 8, ES 41
B22 - avg 1036, hi 1058, lo 1014, SD 11, ES 44
50 yard 5 shot group results:
CZ with SK FNM - avg .546 / best .354
CZ with SK Std+ - avg .520 / best .355
B22 with SK FNM - avg .922 / best .700
B22 with SK Std+ - avg 1.02 / best .746
100 yard 5 shot group results:
CZ with SK FNM - avg 1.44 (without 1st group .896) / best .668
CZ with SK Std+ - avg 1.60 (without 1st group 1.27) / best .855
B22 with SK FNM - avg 3.03 / best 1.46 (stopped after seeing that it does not group)
B22 with SK Std+ - one 5 shot group 1.96 (stopped after seeing that it does not group)
Conclusions:
1. Beautiful day at the range. Autumn is here.
2. CZ shoots very well with the SK Ammo. It shot the SK FNM and Std+ about the same at 50 yards, but the FNM shot slightly better than the SK Std+ at 100 yards. (Could be due to increased winds later on in the range session)
3. CZ with the SK FNM shot reasonably well even with relatively high winds at 100 yards. It may be the flattened nose design similar to the Eleys, it may have been winds or fatigue (I shot the SK Std+ during the last 1/2 of the session)
4. Savage B22 at 50 yards with the SK ammo tested is not competitive. Even the best 5 shot groups were larger than the CZ’s average group size for 6x5.
5. Savage B22 completely falls apart at 100 yards. Although I have more testing to complete with other ammo, my hypothesis that the scored/scarred bullet driving bands introduces inaccuracies into the shot groups that worsens as the distance increase.
6. The adage of “double the distance, triple the group size” appears to hold true for the CZ (.540 at 50 yards to 1.44 at 100 yards) and the B22 (.922 at 50 yards to 3.03 at 100 yards).
YMMV, happy shooting, and more testing soon.
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I like the concept of this gun. It keeps me busy while my PRS rifle is being built. The gun is bone stock besides the muzzle brake and optic. It has a Vortex Diamondback Tactical and some standard rings (subject to change). The muzzle brake has been machined out of 416 stainless by a good friend of mine. I am not the best shooter in the world, but I am oddly driven to see the limits of this gun.
Here is a brief breakdown of how this gun has been behaving. IMO so far save and buy something more reputable. I am saving for a Vudoo, this B-22 seems to be extremely good at running anything you put in it. I have had one failure to extract out of all my time spent behind this gun. I will try to update this weekly as I shoot.
I measure groups the way Steve Ostrem measures groups, I use a benchrest target for 100 yards to shoot at. Let me know your thoughts.
Here is a brief breakdown of how this gun has been behaving. IMO so far save and buy something more reputable. I am saving for a Vudoo, this B-22 seems to be extremely good at running anything you put in it. I have had one failure to extract out of all my time spent behind this gun. I will try to update this weekly as I shoot.
I measure groups the way Steve Ostrem measures groups, I use a benchrest target for 100 yards to shoot at. Let me know your thoughts.
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I got one last month since my son commandeered my Tikka and it seemed like a good way to get into a "chassis gun". So far, I'm definitely underwhelmed.
- Extractor doesn't work. Out of the box, after a basic cleaning, about 90% of rounds failed to extract. I've used three different brands of ammo: Browning, Aguila, and Tippmann. After scrubbing the snot out of the chamber, I fired another magazine and three rounds actually extracted. Rather than deal with that nonsense, I put the Savage away and shot my Glock instead. I'll order some new parts tomorrow and see if that helps.
- Unresponsive support. I opened a ticket last Monday morning regarding the extraction issue. No response, even so much as "Please give us more time as we're overwhelmed."
- Fit and finish. When I took a picture of the bolt for the support ticket, I was surprised by how it looked more like a relic than a brand new part. The roughness of the finish and the premature wear are more evocative of a hammer than a precision device.
- Other broken parts. When I was putting the Savage in its case yesterday to take the range, the comb broke. The threads stripped out of one of the shafts where it attaches to the cheek piece. I was able to clamp it down with just one shaft but the way the thread material just pulled out with the bolt doesn't inspire confidence.
Update: Opening a ticket with Support was apparently the wrong approach. Today, I just called to order replacement parts (extractor and comb) and they're sending them to me under warranty. I should have the parts around the end of next week.
One curious note is that, since the chassis comes as a single component from MDT, they couldn't just send me the part for the comb or even a new comb. I'm actually getting a whole chassis and will send it back with the broken comb. Hopefully the new extractor does the trick. If nothing else, I have a spare to reshape if it doesn't work off the bat.
I emailed Savage and asked for a second clip to add tension to the extractor. I filed the second clip down some so it wouldn’t protrude outside the bolt OD and now all failures to extract are gone. Went from 90% fte like yours to zero. I have a B-22 and a V-22 and the Savage can hang with the Vudoo out past 100 yards. The Savage even got its first NRL22 first place finish from my daughters boyfriend while my Vudoo is still a bridesmaid!
Sheriff-
Thanks, I’ll have to give the double extractor spring tensioner c-clip a try.
Do you have the B22 or the B22 Precision?
What ammo does your B22 like?
TIA
Cheers
It's the MDT chassis - I guess that is the precision. All ammo works now with the sceond clip. SK, CCI SV and Fiocchi are the last 3 I've tried. Shoots them all the same at 100 yards, 1-2 inches, with no failures.
Update*
I reached out to Savage because I wanted the specs on the action screw torque specifications. They specified 45-50 ft-lbs on the front action screw and 25-30 ft-lbs on the rear.
For those who are having issues with the screws for the cheek riser, MDT makes a better set. They are cheap and I bought a second set.
I reached out to Savage because I wanted the specs on the action screw torque specifications. They specified 45-50 ft-lbs on the front action screw and 25-30 ft-lbs on the rear.
For those who are having issues with the screws for the cheek riser, MDT makes a better set. They are cheap and I bought a second set.
Correction* I meant MSC here is the link to the replacements I bought. Gibraltar - 3/4" Head, Knurled Knob - 40611212 - MSC Industrial Supply (mscdirect.com).
I toyed around with the idea of having my machinist make a set, but these were just cheap.
The threading on the OEM screw is 1/4-20 x 1/4". I chose these because they stick out enough for my fat fingers.
The plastic caps covering the cheek riser will come loose if you crank on them. I found they will hold with maybe 4-5 inch pounds of torque by feel of my fingers.
One of mine popped out and I was able to crazy glue it back without issue.
Those MSC screws look industrial tough, thanks for the link.
YMMV, happy shooting.
Update*
I shot in a damn storm, the northeast is not forgiving. Here is some more data for you guys to look at.
Somethings that I plan on changing. The mounts on the gun are going to change to a higher quality and the optic needs to be something with 1/8'' min clicks or more. Let me know your thoughts if you have any ideas on something that would work.
Lapua Center X seems to be getting the best groups out of this gun.
I shot in a damn storm, the northeast is not forgiving. Here is some more data for you guys to look at.
Somethings that I plan on changing. The mounts on the gun are going to change to a higher quality and the optic needs to be something with 1/8'' min clicks or more. Let me know your thoughts if you have any ideas on something that would work.
Lapua Center X seems to be getting the best groups out of this gun.
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After "sharpening" the extractor and spending a lot of time scrubbing the chamber, rounds were successfully extracted 80-90% of the time when I didn't rush moving the bolt. That's still not acceptable but I can tolerate that until the new parts come in. I'm now pretty confident that doubling the clamp will get things extracting reliably.
What are you cleaning with? Scrubbing with? I have had issues with cleaning after shooting ELEY and using Shooters choice. I stay to Breakthrough right not and I haven't had any issues yet.
I used a swab soaked in Hoppes cleaner and a brass brush on a rod spun by a drill.
Let me know what you get for results. I have modified a bore snake for chamber of this rifle. It works for the wax coating removal, then I clean with a normal brush with a chamber guide. I wonder when and if I will would start having issues with this gun.Just ordered one.
Something odd I do not think I mentioned in the update is that I attempted to shoot some older stuff to "clean" between shots and they would not feed up the ramp at all. The bullet itself was being crushed and deformed, they were not hollow points. After these two I had not had any other issues.
Ran the chamber brush through the Savage this morning before heading to the range. Two out of my first three rounds failed to extract.
Then I remembered that I got better results when I pulled the bolt back slowly. Boy did my results get better! I shot 57 more rounds after that and 57 rounds extracted. Still waiting on parts from Savage. Hopefully, doubling the extractor spring will make it so I don't have to baby the bolt.
I tried emailing them, then calls. No answer, no response. 2 weeks now.
I know they are busy but their quality and CS isnt what it used to be...
YMMV, happy shooting
I know they are busy but their quality and CS isnt what it used to be...
YMMV, happy shooting
When I shoot next weekend, I will make it a mission to post a video of how I run the bolt. I think this could be helpful in diagnosing issues. Since, Savage is being so helpful to you!Ran the chamber brush through the Savage this morning before heading to the range. Two out of my first three rounds failed to extract.
Boy did my results get better! I shot 57 more rounds after that and 57 rounds extracted. Still waiting on parts from Savage. Hopefully, doubling the extractor spring will make it so I don't have to baby the bolt.
Something that I noticed, my bolt screw/nut was backing itself out. I am going to keep an eye on this...
I changed the rings to a set of Leopold low height rings.
When I called, I called the exact moment that they answered. That is the most effective way for getting ahold of them I have found.
I got one of the blue special sportsmans warehouse editions and it has been a lot of fun.
Mine does scratch the next round but I have loaded one, drop mag, shoot, push mag back in, rather than trying to hand feed them single. Mine didn't feed copper plated hollow points worth a damn. the edge of the chamber caught the HP and made a mess of it.
I did just stone the bottom side of the bolt and I don't believe you can bevel the bottom leading edge of the bolt. That's what picks up the next round in the mag. The bolt looked almost identical to the CZ457 so I believe it has something to do with the rotary mag not having any vertical give after it rotates the next round under the bolt. I might mess with somehow making a vertical mag similar to the A22.
Mine does scratch the next round but I have loaded one, drop mag, shoot, push mag back in, rather than trying to hand feed them single. Mine didn't feed copper plated hollow points worth a damn. the edge of the chamber caught the HP and made a mess of it.
I did just stone the bottom side of the bolt and I don't believe you can bevel the bottom leading edge of the bolt. That's what picks up the next round in the mag. The bolt looked almost identical to the CZ457 so I believe it has something to do with the rotary mag not having any vertical give after it rotates the next round under the bolt. I might mess with somehow making a vertical mag similar to the A22.
Update
Rifle is down for a little, I am mapping the inside of the action, to see if this gun can be single fed without the magazine.
Rifle is down for a little, I am mapping the inside of the action, to see if this gun can be single fed without the magazine.
I took one of my rotary mags apart and wound it not quite as tight. Then had the chassis off to remove the swivel stud and the front stock screw head broke off using the short end of an allen wrench. So I guess I'm waiting till new ones come in.
FYI they are a weird thread size 12-32 and not common. Found them decently priced here and of a higher grade.
FYI they are a weird thread size 12-32 and not common. Found them decently priced here and of a higher grade.
Were you putting a lot of torque on that front screw? They are meant to be set to 45-50ft-lbs (quoted from a Savage Rep).
This one wouldn't have taken 4.5-5 in/lbs. I was literally spinning it in with only the short end of an allen wrench for leverage. Those DIP guys are awesome. Ordered 2 screws in a set for $7.50 shipped to my door and they arrived today. They use a T20 bit and are hardened/cnc machined.
I'm also looking at making a new feed ramp so it will reliably feed hollow points for when I do a little prairie dog shooting this spring.
Finally got an email back from Savage (2.5 weeks after filling out the online form). Looks like the extractor retention clip is on its way. I'll report after install, honing and range time.
YMMV, happy shooting
YMMV, happy shooting
If you get this rifle to run hollow points under an inch and feed them. Let me know, I will gladly pay for whatever you're doing.
Good shooting. Were they best 5 shot groups or something like a 6x5?
My extractor retention clip came in, they also sent a new extractor and a ejector. Range time set up for tomorrow.
I shoot off of 100 yard benchrest targets at 50 yards. I shoot 5 round strings. I measure the way Steve does in ((1) Quick Tip: How to Measure a Group - YouTube
The best group came from SK Long Rifle. I too am shooting tomorrow, just in the damn snow of New England...
I like your spreadsheet. I do the same. Do you measure base to ogive for your ammo as well? I'm not suggesting sorting to 0.001" as i dont see that making a difference. More is there a correlation between length and what shoots best?
I dont see a difference at 50 yds but at 200 where I do most testing I seem to have a correlation with length.
Yeah right now it does a good job of cutting half the hollow point off. I'm looking at setting the cnc to machine a new feed ramp. I also took 2 mags apart and reduced the spring tension. Gonna see if they still mark the bullets as bad now.
